Electric switch



May 5, 1925.

H. A. DOUGLAS ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed July 2 i924 Patented May 5, 1925.

STATES HARRY A. DOUGLAS, OF 'BRONSOIL MICHIGAN.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

Application filed m 23,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY A. DOUGLAS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bronson, in the county of Branch and the State of Michigan, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Electric Switches, of which the followingis a' full, clear, concise, and .exact description.

My. invention relates to electric switches of the push and pull type and has for its object the provision of improved assembly of component parts of such a switch, an improvement in the switch mechanism and an improvement in the switch operating means. The switch of my invention, in one aspect, includes'two contacts, a contact member common to said contacts and engageable with both of them at the same time, and a reciprocable rod in actuating relation with said contact member.

The reciprocable rod is guided by av flanged member which, with the switching parts. is enclosed by a casing. This casing includes two assembled plates between. which the flange of the flanged member is clamped. In accordance with another characteristic of the invention, the switch includes a sinuously formed support for one of the contact members to furnish a hump which is engageable by the reciprocable rod to operate the switch member carried upon the support The invention 'will be more fully explained in connection with the accompanying drawing inwhich Fig. 1 is a-longitudinal'sectional view of the switch as it is preferably constructed; Fig. 2 is a sectional view on line 22 of Figil; Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken at right angles to the direction in which Fig. 2. is taken; Fig. 4 is an end view with parts broken away; Fig.5 is a sideview with portions broken away; Fig. 6 is a sectional view on line 6-6 of Fig. 1 and Fig. 7 is a perspective viewof one of the switch contact members and a. carrier for this member.

The switch illustrated is provided with an enclosing casing having a cup shaped portion 1 and a hollow stem continuation 2' of this cup, this stem being threaded to receive the clamping nuts 3 and 4 between which the support 5 for the switch may be clamped. Insulating plates '6 and 7 close the cup 1. These plates are assembled by hollow rivets 8 having flanged ends 9 and 1924.. Serial no. 727,725.

rivets are assembled with the cup. Theplate 6 has openings 15 which receive the tongues. The inner heads 10 of therivets constitute the terminal contacts or members of the conductors 12 and 13. A contact member 16 is common to the contacts 10, being engageable with both of these contacts simultaneously and separable therefrom according tothe adjustment of the contact member 16. When the contacts 10 are engaged by the contact member 16 common thereto, the rivets are electrically connected to electrically connect the conductors 12 and 13. Thecontact member 16 is preferably inwardly formed from a. strip of spring metal with a carrier 17, which is quadrilaterally shaped, generally speaking. The end of the carrier 17 that is opposite the contact member 16 is bent over the plate 7 and has a tongue 18 which is receivable within an opening 19 formed in the plate 7. The thickness of this plate is slightly reduced to afford a space between the plates 6 and 7 between which the adjacent portion of the carrier 17 is received and clamped. W

A. rod 20 passes through the bowl of the stem 2, this rod havin ahead 21 by which it may be reciprocate. This rod telescopically receives a pin 22 at its inner end, the rod sliding upon the pin as the rod is moved in and out. The pin or member 22 is formed with a flanged head 23 which is received within a recess in the plate 7 and which is clamped between this plate and the complemental plate 6. Theplates thus serve to support the rod 20 and the pin 22 at the switch end of the structure, the stem 2. bein contracted at its outer end to support t e outer endof the rod.

A disc of insulationis carried upon the ins.

ner end of the rod ,20 and, virtually, constitutes'a lateral extension of this rod, which is in actuating relation with the switch member 16, whereby this member is moved awa from the contacts 10 when the rod 20 is adjusted to. force the (1150 24 into this switch member being free to engage the contacts when the disc 24 is moved out of actuating relation with the switch member. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the disc 24 operates the switch member 16 through the intermediation of, the carrier 17 for this switch member. To this end the side of the carrier -17 which is adjacent the switch member 16, is desirably o'f sinuous form affording a hump with which the disc 24 is engaged when the switch member 16 is to be brought out of circuit closing relation. As shown, there are spaces 26 upon each side of this hump in which the disc is received when the plunger is innermost and outermost. When the disc 24 is innermost, it engages the contacts 10 and is thereby held in a position in which it will enga 'e the left hand side of the hump 25 (Fig. 1 to hold the contact member 16 out of engagement with the contacts 10, the left hand space 26 then receiving the disc 24 sufficiently to'enable the hump 25 to hold the disc in its innermost position to maintain the switch open. When the disc 24 is outermost, it will suiiiciently en ter the right hand" space 26 to permit the contact member 16 to engage the contacts 10, due to the resilience of the carrier 17.

' When so engaged, practically all of the current flowing between the contacts 10 passes through the member 16 without materially traversing the carrier 17. To prevent the carrier from having contact with the hollow stem 2 in case the disc is moved too far outwardly, I surround the rod 20 with a floating insulating washer 27 which is interposed between the inner end of the stem 2 and the carrier 17 for the purpose stated.

Changes may be made without departing from my invention.

Having thus described my invention, I claim 1. In an electric switch, the combination with two contacts; of a contact member common to said contacts and engageable with both of them at the same time; a carrier for said contact member having a sinuous portion; and a reciprocable rod engageable with a hump of said sinuous portion to actuate the carrier.

2. In an electric switch, the combination with two contacts; of a contactmember common to said contacts and engageable with both of them at the same time; a carrier for said contact member having a sinuous portion and integrally formed therewith out of one piece of metal; and a reciprocable rod engageable with a hump of said sinuous portion to actuate the carrier.

3. In an electric switch, the combination with a contact; of a contact member complemental to said contact; a carrier for said contact member having a sinuous portion; and a reciprocablea'od engageable with a hump of said sinuous portion to actuate the carrier.

' 4. In an electric switch, the combination with a contact; of a contact member complemental to said contact; a carrier for said contact member having a sinuous portion and integrally formed therewith out of one piece of metal; and a reciprocable rod engageable with a hump of said sinuous portion to actuate the carrier.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe llly name.

HARRY A. DOUGLAS. 

